With money already received from ticketholders, advertisers and donors, Nastasia said Wednesday that she hoped the event might raise as much as $50,000.

"We could not have done any of this without our supporters and volunteers," Nastasia said. "We've put this together in only three weeks."

Nastasia cited the example of one young mother who offered to form a group of mothers to bake and sell cookies.

More than 35 representatives of broad sections of the community, including
Danbury Hospital
, Portuguese and Indian groups, arts organizations and private citizens, organized the three-hour event.

The program drew donations of food from more than 33 local restaurants, dozens of contributions for a silent auction and support from artists, including story-telling and painting. Danbury Mayor
Mark Boughton
volunteered to be master of ceremonies.

Organizers hope the event will include as many children as possible and will provide paper so that they can write their own messages to the younger tsunami victims.

Tony Neves
, president of the Portuguese Cultural Center, which was donated free of charge, described the response as "remarkable."

"We hope to accomplish even more than our expectations," said Neves. "Everyone has rallied round."

Work on the fund-raiser began after Indian-born dentist Dr.
Jagat N. Patel
rallied support for tsunami victims only three days after the December disaster.

Patel, 42, who has a dental practice in Danbury and lives in Bethel, was raised in a town in India about 1,000 miles from the southern city of Channai, formerly Madras, which suffered thousands of casualties.

Patel described Friday's fund-raiser as a good example of how the city and the community can work together for a good cause.

"It proves that if you want to do something good, the whole world is with you," he said.

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The fund-raiser will be held at the Portuguese Cultural Center, 65, Sand Pit Road, Danbury, from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $25 and $10 for seniors and students. Children under 12 are admitted free. For information, call (203) 312-0703.